Royal Signals (Northern) Band - CD The path to peace

The Band has recently recorded its new CD “The Path to Peace”. The CD contains The Corps Quick and Slow Marches, military marches, including Territorial, The Midway March and The Captain General along with popular Solo tracks for Xylophone, Soprano Saxophone and Clarinet. The wide genre of musical taste is extended to classical and show music and the CD would not be complete without a poignant tribute in the shape of Elegy and Last Post.
CD Order Form

FAREWELL FROM THE SIGNAL OFFICER IN CHIEF (aRMY)

This Information Note is my last transmission to the Corps before I move on.  It is reproduced in the next edition of the Wire. 

By the time you read this a couple of the Corps’ major symbols, its ‘totems’, will have just about have passed into history. 

First, we have had the drawdown event for 7^th Signal Regiment in Elmpt prior to its final disbandment on 31^st July this year.  The Mighty 7^th that many of us remember, based in Maresfield Barracks Herford from 1952 to 1994, was famed in its heyday as the largest field regiment in the Army, with 6 communications squadrons and over 1100 on its strength. 

Second, the post of Signal Officer in Chief (Army) will have ceased to exist on 31^st  March.  There has been a starred officer with the title Signal Officer in Chief since 1955, but the responsibility can be traced back to Lieutenant Colonel Llewelyn Evans CMG DSO who was in the chair as the Corps formed on 28^th June 1920. 

So what happens now ?  Well, along with the Armoured Corps, Infantry, Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, REME and RLC, the ‘Arms and Services’ Directors posts dissolve and their jobs are reallocated. 

Looking after Command Support, EW and Intelligence related functions will be a new Capability Director who will be based in the Army Headquarters in Andover.  The first will be Brigadier Andy Bristow Late Royal Signals.  From me and Director Intelligence Corps he will take on for our respective Corps:

1. Structures: what units look like, their role, location, equipment allocation, composition, ranks and trades (including designing Army 2020 for us).
2. Training:  directing what training takes place at DCCIS and DISC, and some in-unit training, and keeping the requirement up to date, as well as influencing and directing other training across the Army.
3. Concepts and Doctrine: taking lessons from operations and training, input from technology, and analysis from central Defence concepts - how will we deliver command support and EW in the future.
4. Future Requirements and Integration:  what equipment capability do we need in the future, and how we get that equipment into service with the right training, support, infrastructure and the other elements that make equipment useable.

Looking after our Corps specifically will be a new Corps Colonel, also known as Colonel Royal Signals.  Colonel Graham Norton Late Royal Signals is already in post and is supported by the new Corps RSM, WO1 (CRSM) Mark McMullan and a small staff. The Corps Colonel is responsible for our own Corps and family matters.  So his role will include:

1. Support to soldier and officer recruiting, and running officer selection (DE and LE).
2. ‘People’ matters and career development policy, including our Policy Directives.
3. Supporting the Army Personnel Centre on Corps promotions, appointments and career management,
4. Heritage, Customs, Dress etc.
5. Supporting the Royal Signals Association and Institution, the Corps Council and Trustees, the Museum, our Bands, Pipes and Drums, and the White Helmets. 

Importantly he will develop and reinforce our Corps Ethos, not least through events such as Corps Week, Lanyard Trophy, Race The Sun, sports and social events.  He will also ensure, on behalf of the Master, that the Corps is being looked after and developed within a new, smaller Army, representing our Corps at the highest level.  He will be the Serving Corps’ link to our Colonel in Chief and to the Master of Signals.

For at least the next two years, aside from a small team of about 8 from Brigadier Bristow’s directotrate, our current staff, whether they work for the Capability Director or the Corps Colonel, will stay in Blandford.

On, briefly to some specifics.  The Army 2020 study, led by Lieutenant General Carter has been designing the new Army of 82,000 regulars and 30,000 trained reservists.  This represents a cut of more than 20% to the regular force.  Different parts of the Army will be affected in different ways – we know this because we have been working closely with the 2020 Team - but all of it will have fewer regulars in it.  I can’t yet say how this will affect the Corps specifically, mainly because General Carter’s work is not yet complete, but also because announcements about these very sensitive issues will be made by the Government in the next few months.  What I can say is that senior officers really do understand what we do and our importance, and our case has been well constructed and represented.

Regardless of the final outcome, more than ever, we’ll need to be a Corps that really values and makes the most of its diversity - regulars, TA, reservists; UK service personnel and Gurkhas; soldiers, NCOs, warrant officers and Late and Direct Entry officers; and our civil servants and the contractors that work closely with us – we need everyone, and to break down barriers that get in the way.

On a related subject, as Tranche 2 redundancy approaches, and for the following Tranches, we shall be doing all we can to help soldiers and officers to get in touch with employers who are keen to take on people with our skills and experience.  The employment situation is hard overall, but the telecommunications and IT areas are relatively healthy.  We’ll be releasing details of the scheme in the next month or so.

As Mark Twain said, ‘History doesn’t repeat itself but it does rhyme’, so, whether or not there is actually a Signal Officer in Chief or a 7^th Signal Regiment (or indeed a 209 Signal Squadron), the Corps lives on and the things that make it successful are still there, just arranged differently.  In my view, our strength in recent years has been our pulling together as a team.  I encourage you all to continue the motion.  I wrote quite a long piece in the Wire and the Journal last year setting out our Development Agenda.  On re-reading, little has changed in that, and the new Capability Development Directorate and HQ Royal Signals will be getting on with it.

Finally, for me it has been perhaps the greatest privilege of all to have served the Royal Corps of Signals and the Queen’s Gurkha Signals as Signal Officer in Chief over the past 18 months – all too short an innings.

Claire and I wish you, the Corps family, all the very best.

Certa Cito

Tim

Brigadier Tim Watts

OBE ADC MSc CEng FIET FBCS

Signal Officer in Chief (Army)

GALA CONCERT IN BRISTOL CATHEDRAL

There will be a Gala Concert at Bristol Cathedral at 7.30 pm on 20th June 2012.  Complimentary tickets are available by donation via cheque made payable to "ABF The Soldiers' Charity".  There will be a supper after the Concert in the Chapter House and tickets for this are £15.00 per head, also payable by cheque to the same payee.  SAE and cheques to be sent to Colonel Andrew Flint OBE TD DL, County Chairman, ABF The Soldiers' Charity, Nore End Huse, 141 Nore Road, Portishead, Bristol BS20 8DX.

cycle ride from Redditch to the national memorial Arboretum

On 20th June 2012 a cycle ride will take place from Redditch to the Corps Memorial at NMA with the riders from 37 Sig Regt (V) expected to arrive at 1330hrs.  A service of blessing of the Memorial will take place at 1400 hrs to be followed by light refreshments and a chance socialise.  There is limited  space, so RSA members who would like to attend are asked to email RSM 37 Sig Regt (V) on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Places will  only be available until 8th June and will be allocated in order of receipt bids.

ROYAL COrpS OF SIGNALS' FREEDOM OF BLANDFORD FORUM PARADE

In order to mark the 40th anniversary of the granting of the Freedom of Blandford Forum, the Corps will exercise their right to march through the town on Sun 1 Jul 2012. The parade will form up at 1400 hrs and arrive for inspection at Market Sq at 1500 hrs.

HEROS' CLINIC CAMPAIGN

 Natural Therapy For All is an online web directory listing qualified therapists and dentists all over UK.  They have recently launched a campaign to provide services to ex-service men and women at a reduced cost.  Their aim is to provide a support network to enable the ex-service community find a therapist close to them and appropiate for their needs.

You can find their details at:  www.NaturalTherapyForAll.com

The Regionaal Archief Nijmegen (Regional Archives of Nijmegen)

The Regionaal Archief Nijmegen (Regional Archives of Nijmegen) earlier acquired a collection of 684 pictures of Allied soldiers who were involved in the liberation of Nijmegen in World War II or who were stationed at Nijmegen afterwards. The collection was donated in 2000 by ‘Foto Verweij’, a photography shop in Nijmegen. The photos were taken following Operation Market Garden, at the end of 1944 and in the beginning of 1945, when Nijmegen was a frontline city. A few years ago the Regionaal Archief Nijmegen instigated the project Liberators on Film and published these photos online on the municipal website. Back then we received a lot of information on the military units to which some men were affiliated, such as the Royal Artillery, the Coldstream Guards and the Dorsetshire Regiment. From May 2012 onwards, all photos are now moved to the more user-friendly Flickr-page of the Regionaal Archief Nijmegen. Using tags, the collection of photos can now for example be sorted and browsed by regiment. But the identity of many of the photographed soldiers is still unknown. Everyone is free to add comments and additional information on our Flickr-page. In this manner, we hope to collect more information on the soldiers that were photographed during the liberation of Nijmegen. We would like to ask you if you could further communicate this initiative and help us establish a wider outreach, for example by publishing about Liberators on Film in your newsletter or posting our call for aid on affiliated message boards or social media. Our goal is to receive imput from target audiences like World War II veterans, family members of veterans and military experts. Any form of assistance would be most welcomed by Renier van de Giessen who is the Junior Archivist Regionaal Archief Nijmegen

Flickr-page:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/regionaalarchiefnijmegen/sets/72157629480797400/

More information on the project: http://www.huisvandenijmeegsegeschiedenis.nl/info/Liberators_on_film

Website Regionaal Archief Nijmegen: http://english.nijmegen.nl/content/595800/regional_archives_nijmegen

pathfinder - may issue

The May 2012 Issue of Pathfinder has been published and can be viewed via the following link: : http://bit.ly/LF6SgG
As well as career and industry profiles, and career advice/training courses and recruitment opportunities, there is also information about Recruit for Spouses and Helful Heroes.

JOB OFFERS

There have been a number of instances where those seeking jobs or employers looking for personnel with communications skills have posted on the RSA Facebook site. There is no problem with that and we are delighted to help. However, employers and those seeking jobs might like to look at the Regular Forces Employment Association website (see link below) which may be of value to them and which can be used by anyone who has served in the Armed Forces.. http://www.rfea.org.uk/ 

official royal signals page on facebook

As well as our own RSA Facebook page, the Royal Signals are now officially represented on Facebook. Why not have a look;

https://www.facebook.com/RSIGNALS 06/11

Royal Signals Benevolent Fund Wristbands

Royal Signals Benevolent Fund Wristbands can be purchased from the The Royal Signals Shop for a suggested donation of £2.00 each plus 50p for P & P (Depending on how many you purchase this will be adjusted). If you require less than three, please send a cheque for the amount. 100% of the proceeds go to the RSBF.
Royal Signals Museum Shop,Blandford Camp, Dorset DT11 8RH
Tel; 01258 482248 or 97431 2248 or go online:- Royal Signals Shop 05/11

rSA CAR STICKERS

It is in colour, with 'Jimmy' in the centre and adheres to the inside of the window.

The RSA car sticker can be obtained by sending a SAE with a 50p coin (for UK addresses) to RSA HQ.

click for a larger image:

(05/11)

POSTAL ADDRESS

Every year many copies of our newsletter are “Returned to sender - person moved away”.

If you are moving, we would appreciate your new address so that we can remain in touch with you.

Please be assured that members’ personal details are never divulged to unauthorized persons. If you have an e-mail address, you might like to provide us with it in order that we can send you the newsletter and other items of interest by this means.

Send the details to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (05/11)

UNIFORM SALES/HIRE

Serving offrs/SNCOs wishing to replace their uniform with a larger/better condition one OR retired members wishing to dispose of their uniform are invited to contact Maj (Retd) John Barrett MBE. John will sell your uniform and return you 70% of the proceeds, the remainder goes into Corps Funds.

Accessories for ceremonial occasions (wedding, parades etc) can be hired from John for a nominal sum.

John's contact:
Mil (9)4371-3999. Civ 01258-481999. Mob 07770-958870. e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (2/11)

Veterans Scam

The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) is warning of a scam aimed at gaining access to people’s bank account savings and which appears to be targeted at the elderly, including Armed Forces veterans.

The scam involves the victims receiving a telephone call from someone stating they are from their bank. The person will say that they need to get a new bank card and that it will be delivered by courier. A person posing as a courier then attends the address and takes the victims bank card in exchange for a ‘new’ one. The new bank card is a fake and the offenders will then go on to use the bank card from the victim to make numerous fraudulent transactions. It is thought that they obtain the pin number through the telephone conversation.

At least two of the four known victims of this scam have been Armed Forces veterans.

SPVA’s Head of Veterans Services, Jon Parkin, said:

“Whilst there is nothing to suggest that the Veterans Community is specifically being targeted, it is important for veterans to be aware of this scam and to remain vigilant. If people are approached in this way, they should refuse to become involved and should report the matter to their local police station.”

The warning was issued after the Police contacted the Agency and requested help in making veterans groups aware. (06/11)

eMAIL ADDRESS

If you have changed your E-mail address recently, don't forget to let Assn HQ know.

This is particularly relevant as notification of the annual newsletter and other important matters is sent by this means to our members. (05/11)

Email scams

Some scam emails (always after your money) now mention a connection to the RSA (or other service assn) and may have your name on them.

DO NOT reply to these (even to tell them to "xxxxxx off"), as once the sender has confirmation of your Email address, you may be targeted with even more junk mail.

Any email from the RSA will always end with 'mod.uk'. For more information click here.

If you receive an e-mail that contains something that is either outrageous (i.e. Starbucks refusing to send coffee to US Marines in Iraq) or too good to be true (i.e. Samsung giving away free laptops) check out; http://www.hoax-slayer.com/

If it is on the list of hoaxes, send the hoax slayer link to the senders so that they can be educated not to forward such e-mails. (11/09)

Forces Discount

Rewards For Forces is free to join - an optional (paid for) ID card may be needed to access some discounts.

Visit : www.rewardsforforces.co.uk

The site is sponsored by a national newspaper and access to the discounts is via the site.

cORPS EVENTS

oTHER EVENTS/items of interest

If you have a Branch Event, why not advertise it in our 'Forum Section' of the website? Please look there for The RSA Events Forum.

Please take the time to sign up to the Forum, it takes less than a minute!

A new book called "Army Childhood: British Army Childrens' Lives and Times" has just been published by Shire Books.  Written by Clare Gibson the book is dedicated to all British Army Children, past and present.  For more information:  http://www.archhistory.co.uk 
 

MEMBERS BOOKS

To see a list of books submitted by RSA Members

Members Books